Kolkata: Top colleges devise cut-off formula with Class X scores

KOLKATA: For students seeking admission to undergraduate courses this year, marks scored in the Class X board exam could be as crucial as the Class XII board result.
The former could gain more weightage in some colleges that seeks to assess a candidate’s performance in individual subjects. This is because the Class X board exam was the last proper test many students in this batch have taken. The Class XI annual exam results would have perhaps been a better yardstick to assess the students but in most schools, it could not be completed in 2020 due to Covid.
Several colleges across the city have devised their formulae to arrive at the aggregate and/or cut-offs with marks in individual subjects the students scored in their ICSE or equivalent Class X exams they had appeared for two years ago. This, despite the boards already giving weightage to the Class X results while preparing the Class XII marks. In many colleges, students will need their Class X boards scores even to apply in certain subjects. In others, marks scored in Class X boards will function as a tie-breaker for a seat if two or more students end up with same aggregate.
According to the principals TOI spoke to, Class X boards are the only exam that this batch, which will be seeking UG admission, has taken. The boards are giving weightage to Class X board results but that is either on the aggregate or best of four subjects. In absence of Class XII exams, principals want their Class-X scores of individual subjects to gauge candidates’ aptitude for fields applied for.

At Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, those seeking admission in English, political science and economics will be screened on the basis of marks in Class X and XII boards. To apply for physics and microbiology honours, marks in chemistry, physics, life science and biology in Class X boards will play a crucial role. “The departments have devised their criteria for admission in their subjects. While some departments felt Class X and XII results were important, others felt they needed an online talk with students,” said Swami Ekachittananda, principal of the college.
At Lady Brabourne, too, different departments have devised criteria for admission. “Class X boards were the last proper test this batch appeared for. So, it is a way of assessing the students’ aptitude for the subject or the stream they are opting for to some extent. Our different departments are giving varying weightage to marks in Class X boards,” said Siuli Sarkar, principal of Lady Brabourne College.
Universities, like Jadavpur and Presidency, have not yet announced the criteria of admission. Meetings of the admission committee at both the universities are slated for next week. “The government has made it clear there will be no admission test or interviewsor counselling this year. So, in order to put in some sort of screening of the candidates, the university might follow last year’s process, under which marks in certain subjects in Class X boards were factored in,” said a JU official.
Scottish Church will also look into the marks of different subjects scored in Class X. “Even if students score very high in Class XII boards, our formula will create some sort of a filter,” said Madhumanjari Mandal, principal at Scottish Church College.
In many colleges, the authorities have decided to stick to Class XII marks only, as the boards are evaluating the students on the marks they scored in Class X boards and Class XI finals. “We had discussed in our admission committee meeting about giving 50% weightage to Class X Board results and 50% weightage to Class XII board results. But then, almost all the boards announced they would do the same. So, we dropped the idea,” said Subhasis Dutta, principal of Maulana Azad.